Inspirations

To my followers.... my apologies for not blogging for several months.  I found myself to be on overload and the creativity just wasn't present.  Today I am trying to get back to basics and reconnect to those who follow my blog.    This last Sunday I had the honor of presenting the Memorial Message for Knapp Funeral Home Memorial Service.  What an honor that was for me.  As I looked out over the overflowing crowd, I recognized so very many of those attending.. either by hospice, support group, emergency department, or friends and business associations.  I feel that God has blessed me by giving me the opportunity to do what I do.  I meet remarkable people who struggle with great strength in an attempt to find some normalcy in life during the grieving turmoil.  Kristin Heitzmann once said, "Grief is a coat you put on and off, wearing it only until it has warmed the chill of loss, but not so long as to take the edge from memory."  My advice to those grieving is to embrace life... use your experience and gifts with inspiration and zeal to help others who are just beginning the journey you have traveled.

Knight in Denim and Plaid

Valentine Day this week brought back some great reminders for me that I  would like to share with my readers.  First, it reminded me that some of the simplest things in life are the hardest to do.... saying thank you, saying I'm sorry, saying I appreciate you, saying I love you.   I personally have a Knight in denim and plaid who changes my light bulbs, who scoops the walks and drive, who walks my dog, who hauls my garbage, who buys me little things just because he wants to.   Over the last 45 years we have raised a family, spoiled grandchildren, traveled, had some difficult moments, had losses and grief and have experienced scars which we carry in our souls where they aren't seen.....all part of life.  Life is not orderly or neat.  Often it is confusing and messy, but we cannot quit hearing the music and loving the players.  Thank you to my Knight in Denim and Plaid.

THE CINDERELLA PACT

I recently read a book where the characters formed a pact to support one another through good and difficult times.  Some of the rules for this pact were that each person had to discover who they were deep inside and love the person they discovered there.  The whole idea was based on a "fairy tale" concept and their motto was, "True love is born of experience, not fairy dust".  The whole concept was cute, but perhaps somewhat over the top; but then again... it was just a story.  Finding yourself is an enlightening experience, a journey which I took "once upon a time".  It is not a journey for the weak at heart, let me tell you that up front.  There is definitely wallowing involved!

Thinking of myself as a chameleon through most of this era, I wondered if the real Lonnie D. would ever stand up!  I have been someone's daughter, someone's sister, someone's wife, someone's mother, and someone's grandmother.  So... at the heart of finding myself I then wanted to re-invent myself.  In so doing, I chose four words to describe the person I wanted to be:  loving, honest, understanding and dependable.  I then began this journey which is constantly a work in progress, sometimes falling and stumbling along the way.  Nonetheless, I feel that I have made progress and it has been worth it.  Mahatma Gandhi once said, "the best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others".

Have you found the real you?